1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an information exchange apparatus and, more particularly, to an electron beam exchange apparatus of the type employing a solid-state electron beam generator.
2. Related Background Art
A matrix-type switch, such as that shown in FIG. 1, employing an optical integrated circuit has conventionally been proposed as a typical example of information exchange apparatus.
FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic perspective view of such a matrix-type switch employing an optical integrated circuit.
The matrix-type switch shown in FIG. 1 includes a substrate 50 of an electro-optical crystal such as LiNbO.sub.3 ; electrodes 51 formed on the substrate 50; optical switch portions 52; electrical terminals 53 for each allowing an electrical signal representing a command indicative of a switching operation to be transmitted therethrough to the optical switch portion 52; and channel-type optical waveguides 54, 55. In FIG. 1, reference numerals 56 and 57 denote optical fibers for guiding light signals along their respective lengths.
Light signals from the optical fibers 56 are conducted to the channel-type optical waveguides 54 by optical coupling. The transmission lines of the light signals are switched over by the optical switch portions 52 and thus these signals are output to the optical fibers 57. However, use of such an optical switch arrangement involves various problems. For example, the level of insertion loss is significantly high since the connection between each of the light waveguides 54 and the optical fibers 56 and 57 is not perfect. In addition, each optical switch element requires a size of at least about several centimeters, thus resulting in an increase in the overall size of the optical switch. Accordingly, the number of matrices that can be achieved is limited to a maximum of about 16.times.16.
In general, not only the above-described matrix-type switch employing such an optical integrated circuit but also conventional types of information exchange apparatus have a large size. Accordingly, there has been a demand for the development of an information exchange apparatus which can be reduced in size and be used with a multiplicity of channels.